Means for rounding books



Nov. 8, 192 7.

J. MURRAY MEANS FOR ROUNDING BOOKS 3 sheets-smet 1 Filed Oct. '7. 1925 y J/MA Nov. s, 1927'.I

J. MURRAY MEANS FOR ROUNDING BOOKS Filed oct. '7. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J, MURRAY MEANS FOR ROUNDING Booxs Filed oct. v. 1925 s sheets-sheet s FIGA.

Patented Nov. 8,1927. Y

emitenN ,STATES i JOHN MURRAY, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR ROUNDING BOOKS.

Application filed October 7, 1925. Serial No. 60,989.

The present invention, relates to impro-vements in means employed in effecting the operation in book-bindingV known as rounding and more particularly concerns improvements in machines such as described in the specification of my prior Patent No. 1,489,896 issued 8th April, 1924. In the machine vdescribed in the said prior specification there is provided a block having a slightly convex upper surface which feeds the books from a hopper to a position where theyV are seized by rounding rollers and rounded. F or certain classes of work the arrangement referred to ris satisfactory, but with other classes the rounding is not uniform and this want of uniformity of rounding results in irregularity of the succeeding operation, namely, the backing or jointing operation. v

In accordance with a principal feature. of the present invention, in lieu of an elevating` block with a slightly convex upper surface-as described in my said prior specification-there is employed a convex former, which is preferably interchangeable to suit different thicknesses of books, and in association with this convex former there is provided a concave former, preferably formed in halves, which receivesthe back of the book, the rounding operation being'efected by the convex former pushing the book to be rounded between guide plates until the back is forced into the concave former, the required rounding being imparted to the book by the action of the convex former on the fore-edge of the book and the action of the concave former on the back of the book. As a definite rounding is thus given to the book, and as the book is clamped after rounding and may be backed or jointed without.

change of position, it follows that the round and .back or joint of the back of the book will be uniform and exact in size. s

The concave former, which, as stated, is preferably formed in halves, is carried by cross-heads located one on each side of the guide plates, by which the book is guided in'its movement into position. Such crossheads are preferably suspended from the lower ends of links which are carried at their upper ends by crank armsjmounted on transverse shafts. Ina preferred arrangement the links are adapted to be actuated to move the crossheads and thus the halves of l the former towards and away from one -another i. e.,towards and from rounding position, in timed relation to the movement of the clamp by means of slotted links and rods connected thereto by turn-buckles permitting adjustment, such' slotted links being adapted to be displaced' through the medium of cams mounted, say, on one of the l transverse shafts, to which shaft are attachedcrank arms connected by rods with the toggle serving to operate thel clamp, as described in my prior specification, in such Wise that the closing or opening of the clamp toggle is accompanied by movement of the crossheads to which the former is attached.

Suitably, portions of the mechanism by which the crossheads and thus the halves of the former are moved to and fro are located on the block to which the movable jaw of the clamp with its operating components, is attached, but the links supporting the crosshead remote from such movable jaw are supported on shafts carried on brackets mounted on a Xed part of the machine. Adjustment of the block when changing the machine for thicker or thinner books will automatically change the position of lall the mechanism located on the block, but the half of the former on the crosshead remote 'from the block will be displaced from its proper relative position. There is provided therefore a mechanism yby ywhich the effective length of the rods actuating the crossheads may be varied andthus the position of the crossheads corrected. This correction or adjustment of the crossheads is conveniently effected by means of worm and spur gearing adapted to rotate the turnbuckles oo nnecting the slotted links and the rods actuating the crossheads.

To adjust the distance. between the tipsof4 the gripping jaws of the clamp and the un-` derside of the concave former at veach side there are preferably provided brackets fitted with worms adapted to engage worm wheels keyed or otherwise secured to the shafts'supporting the crossheads, so that on rotation of handles supported in the brackets the shafts may be rotated to cause the links, fromv lwhich the crossheads are supported, to moveupwards or downwards to raise or lower the j concave former.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which ligtl l is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of mechanism devised to realize the aforedescribed objects. Figs. 3 and 4 show details ofthe convex former.

VIn the drawings A denotes the block on which is mounted the movable avv B ot' the book clamp constituted by such movableV jaW and a stationary jaw E. H indicates the guide plates between which is guided the book N to be rounded, K, the convex former. (shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4) and M the concave former Which in cosoperation with the former K serves to round the book Nl Supported on brackets A1, A2, A3, A4 mounted on the block A, and on brackets A5, A6 to tlieleitt side oi the rounding station (Figs. 1 and 2), are cross shafts A7, A8, A9, A10, A11, whichV are tree to rotate inbearings' in the brackets.

'Fixedito t-he shafts A8 and A9 are crank arms or yshort levers' A12, A13, A14., A15 carrying pins from which are suspended parallel links A20, A21, A22, A23. At their lower ends'the links A20,.A21, A22, A23' are attached'to across head'A24. A crosshead A25lissuspended iny similar manner by links A20, A21", A222 A23 from crank arms A1253' A13X, A14X, A15X ti'xetl'to the shafts A10 and'A`1/1. These crossheads A24 and A25V serve to support the concave former M which is'y :formed in halves, cach half' being` l M is 'adao't'ed to be' actuated through the medium of' slotted links B18,B19, connected by'turn-buckles B2', R3 and rods B22, B23,

tothe lihks A20, A22. The left hand haltv oftlief former is adapted tobe actuated in a s'in'iil'arvv Imanner l through the. medium of slotted links B20 and B21 connected by turnlbu'ck'les L2, L3 androds B24, B25 to the.

linke A20?, A25. p

Wi'ththe arrangementprovided it is pos'- sible'toreplace the concave torinerhalves by former' halves ofk different size, ythe screvvs A27, A28 being temporarily released. To suitV they concave Jiorine'r adopted the convex former is adapted' to be interchanged for which purpose the convex former is'readily removable.

liVhen the book has beeen formed or rounded, the clamp B, E is closed and grips the book Nfirmly enough to resist thepiessure exercised thereon by the backing or" jointing roller I`, it being understood that before such roller canvoperate on' the back of the' book' the concave former halves are Withdrawn clear of the path of the roller. The mechanism formoving the roller in its arcuate path'forms no part of the invention and may be the sameY as that described in' my* saidprior patent for moving the rollerv therein designated B11.

To effect automatic Withdrawal of the fects movementof the former halves con-l c'oinitantly With the opening'and' closing of the' clamp. The' parts E7, E6, E17,`E8 Aand E9 constituting the principal partsfoff the former;actuatingl mechanism correspondk to theN parts denoted by Vthe' same reference charactersin iny said prior patent'.

To avoid serious loss oftiinein changing the position ofthe foregoing components of the'V machine the adjustment should b'eacile and precise and' this lisv arranged for as' oli.

lovvs:- Adjustment of the'block A. for change in` thickness ot' the books' Will automatically change the position ofall the righthand; Asthe lettI mechanism sustained thereby. handv .half otA thel former willA beV displaced from its position correction is provided! for L1, will rotate through the Worm and spur ras followsz-Therotation of the handleve'r gearing` V, V1, V2, V3', V4, the turn-buckles L2, L3 to increasel ordiiniii-islithe el'ective length oliv the rods B24 andB25, and thus correct the position of thecross-head A25.

Correction ork adjustment oft/he position ofv the crossliead A24' andy right hand half of' the. former may similarly' bie-effected byrotation ofthe turmbuc'kles R2, RBby' Wormv gearing'W', TW1" operatedv byy rotation of' the hand lever R1. v

A further important adjustinentprovided for is thaty ol the distancebetween chef tips of the clamp jafvvs and the yunder sidev of' the concave former at J1, J2; Supported' on the shafts A8, A9 is a bracket'Dl, on theV vunderside owhich is out' a recess-in which are' fitted Worin. Wheelsl D4, D5 on to the* shafts A8 and` A9k by any suitable means.

Supported in a boss onthe upper, side ot the bracket D1 is a'shaft D1'0on which arevv cut Worms D8, D9 Which mesh Vwith `the Worin Wheels D4, D5. @ut on't'he shai'tD10 is also a small Worm Wheel D151'. Above the Worm Wheel`r D11 andV supported in a boss is a worin D14 fixed to the shaft D12 rotatableV by the hand? lever D13. As Will-'be evident,

the rotation of the ha'ndilever'D'l- Will "ro -4V ics The convex former K, as shown inodetail in Figs. 3 and 4, is attached by means or" pins K1, K2, fitted in key-hole slots-K3, K4, on the under side of the former v,K. The pins K1 and K2 are iixed toa block K5, which may be rigidly mounted, or,.as shown, may be resiliently mounted on spring-supported pins K9 and K10 on the elevator arm K6. f

Strips K7 attached to the former and extending downwards to the books in the hopper serve to prevent them from being caught by the formerl on its downward movement.

A spring K11 maintains the liemispherical head of a pin K12 in a slight depression in the former K, and by this means the former is retained in its position during the operation of the machine. The retaining force is, however, easily overcome by a pull on the former when removal is desired.

The limiting position of the block K5, on which the position of' the former K depends, depends in turn on the limiting position of the pins K9 and K10. v

rlhe parts H1, H2, H4, H5, H8, H9, H11, H12, H13, H14, H15 and G12 of the mechanism for actuating the convex 'former K correspond to the similarly designated parts described in my said prior patent, in the paragraph beginning with line 126 of page 3.

lfVhat I claim is 1. Means for mechanically rounding books, comprising a fixed frame, a block adjustable in relation to said fixed frame, a book clamp including a stationary jaw sustained by said fixed frame and a movable jaw slidable in relation to said block, a concave former comprising halves, one half above each jaw of said clamp, said former adapted to receive the back of the book to be rounded, a carrier sustained by said fixed frame, a carrier sustained by said block, a set of elements sustained by saidlirst named carrier by which one half of said former is supported, a set of elements sustained by said second carrier by which the other half of said former is supported, an actuator, separate connections between said actuator and said sets of eleme-nts for communicating to said former halves movements towards and from one another, means for relatively adjusting said connections to correspond with adjustment of said block, connections between said actuator and said movable aw, a convex former adapted to engage the foreedge of the book and to pressthe lback of the book into said concave former, and connections between said actuator and said convex former.

2. Means for mechanically rounding books comprising a fixed frame, a block adjustable in relation to said fixed frame, a book clamp including a stationary jaw sustained l by'said fixed frame and a movable jaw slidable inrelation to said block, a concave former comprising halves,fone half above each jaw of said` clamp, said former adapted to receive the back ot the book to be rounded, guide plates between which the bookis guided in its movement into rounding position, crossheads located one on each side of said guidek plates, each crosshead carrying one half oit said former, shafts' carried by said block, a set of links connected to said shafts by which one crosshead isl suspended, shafts carried by said fixed frame, a set of links connected to said second named shafts by which the other crosshead is suspended, an actuator, separate connections between said actuator and said sets of links for communicating to said crossheads movements towards and from one another, means for relatively adjusting said connections to correspond with adjustment of said block, connections between said actuator and said movable jaw, a convex former adapted to engage the fore-edge of the. book and to press the back oit the book into said concave former, and connections between said actuator and said convexy former.

3. M ea-ns for mechanically rounding books, comprising a fixed frame, a block adjustable in relation to said fixed frame, a book clamp including a stationary aw sustained by said fixed frame and a movable jaw slidable in relation to said block, a concave former comprising halves, one half above each jaw of said clamp,.said former adapted to receive the back o t the book to be rounded, means for elfecting vertical adjustment of said former halves, a set of links having a supporton said frame by which one half of said former is suspended, a set of links having a support on said block by which the other half of said former is suspended, an actuator, separate sets of connections between said actuator and said sets of links for communicating to said former halves movements towards and from one another, means for adjusting one set of said sets of connections to compensate for adjustment of said block, connections between said actuator and said movable jaw, a convex former adapted to engage the fore-edge of the book and to press the back of the book into said concave former, and connections between said actuator and said convex former.

4. Means for mechanically rounding books, comprising a. lixed frame, a block adjustable in relation to said fixed frame, a book clamp including a stationary jaw sustained by said fixed frame and a movable slidable in relation to said block, a concave former comprising halves, one half above each jaw of said clamp, said concave 'former adapted to receive the back of' the book to be rounded, a pair of crossheads, each former half removably fitted to a crosshead, a set of'links having a support on said :trame by which one' Crosshead is' suspended, ay setI o'f links having a support on said block by which the other orosshead is suspended,- an actuator,I separate connections between saidl actuator and; said setsof links for communicating to Said orosshend movements vtowards and 'from oneanother, means foradjustingf one y sot of connections uo-correspond 'with adsmid aotuators'and Saidmovztble jam ai readily replaceable convex formel' adnptedtoengage the 'fore-edge of the bookand. to press the back of the loook` into said concave former, and. connections between. said Actuator and: said Convex `for-mer, Y

Inl testimony whereof lhave'sgned my numeto'ths specification. y

JOHN MURRAY. 

